Town (Silk Market)

As trade routes expand, luxuries become more commonplace.

The trade in luxury textiles in the ancient world was extremely lucrative as clothing and decorative fabrics became a sign of status and prestige. Silk was the jealously guarded secret of the Chinese for over two thousand years. Once the Silk Road was opened in the 1st century BC it proved highly desirable and, although considered by some immoral and decadent, soon became very profitable. Despite this, western cultures did not obtain the secret of making silk for themselves until 550AD.